1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus like a digital still camera, a digital video camera, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In some image pickup apparatuses, such as digital still cameras and digital video cameras, a display unit is supported by an apparatus body via a two-axis hinge so as to be able to open and close, and to pivot in an opened state. FIG. 31 through FIG. 33 show an example of this kind of conventional digital video camera (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-210677 (JP 2005-210677A)).
As shown in FIG. 31 and FIG. 32, this digital video camera has a display unit 2 that is supported on the top of a camera body 1 at a front side (a subject side) by a two-axis hinge 3 so to be rotatable about a rotation axis X.
When the display unit 2 in a full close state shown in FIG. 31 is rotated about 180 degrees in the left viewed from the rear side of the camera body 1, the display unit 2 reaches a full open state (FIG. 32), which turns a screen 2a upward. In the full close state (FIG. 31), the screen 2a is retracted so as to face to the front top surface of the camera body 1. In the full open state shown in FIG. 32, the display unit 2 is rotatable around a rotation axis Y that is perpendicular to the rotation axis X of the two-axis hinge 3.
Then, when the display unit 2 in the full open state shown in FIG. 32 is rotated around the rotation axis Y about 90 degrees in the clockwise direction viewed from the left side in the drawing, the display unit 2 reaches a normal shooting state in which the screen 2a turns backward as shown in FIG. 33.
When the display unit 2 in the state shown in FIG. 33 is rotated around the rotation axis Y about 180 degrees, the display unit 2 reaches a state where the screen 2a turns frontward (toward the subject) so that a cameraman or a camerawoman can shoot while viewing his or her own image. When the display unit 2 is rotated so that the screen 2a turns frontward, a changeover switch (not shown) operates at a predetermined angle and the image on the screen 2a is automatically inverted.
Since the display unit 2 of JP 2005-210677A opens only leftward viewed from the rear side with respect to the camera body 1, visibility of the screen 2a becomes poor when viewing from the right rear side, and operability will be lost when there is something that obstructs shooting at the left side viewed from the rear side.